by Aiden James
“Despite my awkward sexual experience with Genovene and the few times I’d been a little freaked out, I felt privileged to be there. Since she would be arriving in the courtyard at any moment, I turned around to go back. But I noticed a small stone shack sitting near the edge of the tower’s steps, just beyond the juniper trees, maybe fifty feet away. I stopped and stared at it, thinking how odd the thing looked amid the lavish grandeur everywhere…. Then my jaw dropped open.
“Grandpa’s tool shed.”
“You’re kidding,” said Peter. A look of surprise and acute interest spread across his face.
“Seriously, man,” said Jack. “At first I thought it was only some weird similarity. I mean, how’d it get there if it was in fact the same shed?”
Peter grinned and started to say something. But he stopped himself, telling Jack to continue, as what he wished to say could also wait until later.
“You’re sure?” confirmed Jack, for the moment uncertain how to proceed. “I know this all sounds crazy, but I swear I’ve been honest with you. Completely honest. Do you still want me to continue like this, so detailed and graphic?”
“Yes,” said Peter, nodding emphatically, his grin melting into a more sincere expression. “I realize sharing some of this is quite painful for you. I value what you’re telling me more than you know.”
Jack nodded in response, though much more subtly. He frowned, silently debating the prudence in continuing.
“Please…please continue,” Peter encouraged.
“All right,” replied Jack, releasing a low sigh. “I walked over to the shed. My curiosity wouldn’t let me just turn around and forget about it. Stacked stone walls painted white and wooden slats in the roof—just like Grandpa’s. Even where it’d been recently repaired was the same! I thought of how Grandpa refused to tear the damn thing down, keeping it functional even if it didn’t look right anymore up against our farmhouse.
“I walked around it. When I reached the front, I found the only difference between Grandpa’s shed and this structure. In place of the worn padlocked doors was an open space with a counter, and a few feet behind the counter were rows of shelves filled with ceramic dishes and pottery. It was some kind of shop.
“A cheerful girl in her late teens greeted me from behind the booth’s counter.
“‘Well, hello, Jack!’ she said. ‘I wondered when you’d find time to stop by here!’
“‘What an amazing place this is!’ I remember thinking. It seemed everyone knew my name, despite meeting folks for the very first time. Stranger, though, I felt totally at peace in this person’s presence. Different from the warmth I’d felt from Genovene, and more like meeting a long lost friend.
“‘It’s so nice to see you, Jack,’ she said, reaching over the counter and extending her hand for me to shake. ‘I can’t fully express how much I’ve been looking forward to this moment!’
Her smile seemed so natural. To me she was absolutely beautiful, with soft green eyes and dark auburn hair that flowed in ringlets framing her dimpled face. A small patch of freckles dotted both cheeks, and with the laced up dress she wore, she looked like she’d just stepped out of a Grimm’s fairy tale and into the village.
“‘Hi...it’s nice to meet you too,’ I responded, trying hard not to stare, but unable to resist. ‘What’s your name?’
“‘My name’s not important at the moment, but very soon you’ll know who I am,’ the girl replied.
“The feeling of familiarity grew stronger by the moment, so I decided to play along with her game. I knew her from somewhere else, I was certain of it. It seemed impolite to keep staring at her, so I glanced around the booth instead. Set up as two separate rooms, the counter and its merchandise were located in the front and a smaller room in the back.
“As I said a moment ago, everything on display was ceramic—splendid stuff that appeared to have been painted by hand, as no two items were identical. Their elegance and simpler beauty stood out in sharp contrast to the gold and crystal vessels I’d seen so far.
“‘If you’d like to take a closer look at anything you see, just say so,’ the girl said, before she turned and walked into the back room. ‘I’m extending to you the special privilege of coming behind the counter.’
“Once she disappeared, I heard the squeaking noises of a pottery wheel spinning in that other room. She fascinated and enraptured me, but in a different way. Despite her earthy beauty, it wasn’t sexual attraction, like with Genovene. But I did want to be close to her…to get to know this person, to learn from her. What about specifically? I didn’t know yet. Just felt compelled to do it.
“Lifting a latch on the wooden counter allowed me inside the booth. A lot more pottery and other items were stored underneath the counter, including a small silver box with a scene skillfully etched onto its face depicting a trio of angels descending to earth from heaven. The angels’ wings were inlaid with tiny sapphires and diamonds, and the eyes emeralds. It was the only thing that compared to the extravagance I’d seen throughout the rest of the village.
“‘It’s beautiful, isn’t it?’ she called out from the back room.
“‘Yeah, it sure is,’ I agreed, still examining it. I especially liked the way the jewels made the wings appear in constant motion. ‘It’s way cool!’
“‘Why, thank you, Jack! It’s a gift from someone very close to me,’ she said. ‘Come on back here and bring the box with you.’
“I went over to the doorway and peered inside. The room was bare except for a spinning table with a large lump of clay on top of it, and a pair of wooden chairs. A narrow window next to a small wooden door allowed minimal sunlight into this room. She sat on the chair nearest the wheel and motioned for me to sit in the other chair across from her.
“As soon as I sat down her appearance began to change. Subtle at first, the changes became more dramatic and profound. Gradually aging before me, she filled out somewhat as well. Like watching one of those age progressions you see on TV for missing kids. Less than a minute later, the beautiful young girl was still pretty, but twelve to fifteen years older and maybe twenty pounds heavier.... A person known previously to me only through photographs.
“‘Mom??’
“I couldn’t believe it! But at the same time, I should’ve known…. I mean, in her ‘teenage’ form, she looked a lot like me and Jeremy—like our big sister. Too good to be true, I feared I’d stepped into some cruel illusion in the village. But the love exuding from her, along with the strong instinct within my gut, told me she was indeed my mother. So improbable, and yet here she was, and very much alive and no longer a ghostly image in my head.
“‘Mom!!’
“She seemed unaffected by the loudness of my rapture. Only the emotion touched her, as tears welled in her eyes.
“We stood up and reached out for each other in the kind of embrace only two people separated for an unbearable length of time could ever understand. I buried my face in her shoulder, unable to control the waves of emotion that shook my soul to its very core. I released the burden of sadness I’d carried with me for as long as I could remember in racking sobs.
“The warmth and softness of her being enveloped me as she returned the tightness of my arms’ grip with her own. Flesh and blood and not the cruel illusion I feared. She loosened her hold on me and placed her hand under my chin, raising my face up to hers. Glistening eyes released a pair of small imperfect streams onto her cheeks while she fought to control her heaving chest.
“‘Where have you been all this time?’ I asked, struggling to keep my words from speeding out of my mouth. ‘Where’s Dad? Boy, Grandpa and Jeremy will be so happy! I can’t wait to tell—’
“‘Shush-h-h!’ she interrupted me, her trembling index finger pressed against her lips as she motioned for me to be quiet. She shook her head, still sobbing in her joy. I broke down again as well, my shoulders shaking to the point I would’ve collapsed had she not tightened her grip to support me until the overwhelming swell
of emotion ebbed.
“She gently directed me to sit down again, which I did, though I didn’t allow her to leave my tear-blurred gaze. Mom brought her chair closer to mine, and she dabbed my eyes with a handkerchief she pulled from her dress, stroking the side of my face, perhaps admiring the boy she’d missed seeing grow up.
“This had to be real. Regardless of all the strangeness I’d experienced, this was different. But despite the reality of my mother’s presence sitting next to me, an underlying incompleteness mired the event. A terrible feeling of sadness was also present. The very air around her held within it a condemnation of impending doom, despite any intentions on my part to make this permanent.
“‘I’ve longed for this moment, Jack!’ she said. ‘I’ve dreamed of it for a very long time. So much I’d love to share with you...to tell you. But, there isn’t time.’
“‘What do you mean?’
“I hated the way she said this. The unpleasant feeling in the air grew heavier and more oppressive.
“‘You don’t have time, son,’ she told me. ‘Listen close and I’ll quickly tell you what you need to know.’
“‘You mean the dinner, or feast that’s being held in my honor?’
“She laughed nervously.
“‘Heavens no, I wasn’t referring to that at all,’ she said. ‘Yes, I’m aware of it, and we’ll get to that in a moment. What I’m referring to is the fact your grandpa—my father—is very worried about your whereabouts as we speak. He found out you weren’t with your friend Lee about twenty minutes ago, and he’s berating himself for not keeping a better eye on you—especially after last night.’
“My mouth dropped open. ‘How’d you know about that?’
“‘Genovene isn’t the only one around here who knows where you’ve been and what’s going on around you,’ she said. ‘As a matter of fact, this is the only time since you first saw the talisman yesterday she hasn’t known your thoughts and exact whereabouts. They’re hidden from her now, but only for a short while. She’ll soon discover you’re here.’
“The sordid implications of my mom’s words hit me full force. Images of my dick inside Genovene’s mouth flooded my mind…. What did she think of that? More important, what did she think of me.
“‘My son, you were overmatched without any chance of resisting her,’ she assured me. ‘Genovene can be physically as beautiful and seductive as any male will ever encounter. Remember the cookie you ate? You never realized it was laced with a powerful aphrodisiac…. I’ve always been proud of you, Jack, and nothing that happened today changed that.’
“I smiled weakly, staring down at the floor and still very much ashamed. At the same time, I felt grateful that the person I’d always hoped would be proud of me actually was.
“‘Now, listen closely,’ she continued. ‘You think Genovene’s your friend, I know. But, you’ve been given other clues about what she’s really like. Clues about the nature of this place as well. Remember the box in the temple—those voices you heard?’
“Yeah.
“‘Urei lied to you!’ Her voice choked with emotion, I thought she might start crying again. “It wasn’t a game or some amusement! Those voices belong to spirits…people just like you and me who’ve been lured for centuries to this trap. There are hundreds of other boxes like it in the village, each with the souls of Genovene’s victims trapped inside!’
“What she said chilled me to the bone, like an icy breeze had just blown into the room. Despite my reluctance to believe it, my mother’s words rang true. From deep within, I felt Genovene’s capacity for cruelty and wickedness just as clear as I immediately knew the innate goodness of the woman sitting next to me. How in the hell would we ever get back home?
“‘Sudden warmth radiated toward me, and my mom forced a wan smile.
“‘Don’t be afraid,’ she said. ‘I’ve got a plan. If you hadn’t made your wish at the pool in the garden, I might not have been allowed to intervene.’
“She sat up straight, arching her neck and tilting her head slightly, listening. She then grew serious and leaned closer to me.
“‘Jack,’ she whispered, ‘Genovene’s coming out of the temple. She’ll start looking for you in earnest within the next few minutes.’
“I’m sure my eyes grew wide, as I completely forgot all about the starting time for the feast. I pulled my watch out again, noting the time was 2:57 pm. Surprised, I brought it closer to my face. Genovene’s warning echoed in my head, and I was about to be on her shit list!
“‘Jack, please pay attention!’ my mother scolded me, letting her voice rise above the whisper she spoke with a moment before. ‘Heed everything I’m telling you! You must flee from here and follow the golden road out of the village. Take the same path you took in getting here and you’ll get back home. You’ll have to trust me that you’ll be protected. Do not, I repeat, Jack, do not stray from the path or you’ll make our task so much harder!
“‘Genovene will try and convince you to stay here, and I know you’re still struggling with a sense of obligation to her. Don’t give in to that feeling, my son! You mustn’t do it, no matter what she tells you. This feast is not for you, son. Rather, you’re the feast!’
“She paused and looked down at the ground. When she raised her head back up, more tears streamed down her face.
“‘They plan to sacrifice you to Talusha, the blue demon of Karachi,’ she continued, struggling to get the words out. ‘I know…I know you saw the bubbling and burning thing when up in the temple tower. You caught a glimpse of Talusha’s essence…. To please him, they plan to give him your heart. They’ll spend the rest of their celebration eating what’s left of your body, after first sending your spirit into a box…. You saw the altar, right? And also the knife lying next to the box, as well as the empty space in the middle of the celebration table?’
“I nodded that I had, gripped by terror.
“‘Genovene and her tribe consider you a fine prize,’ she explained, ‘and they’ve had their eye on you since you were an infant. Why this is so isn’t important enough for us to discuss right now. Just be aware that your soul’s energy would serve them well if they captured it through your sacrificial death.’
“‘Jack!... Oh, Jack!! Where are you??’
“Genovene was searching the courtyard and we both froze in silence. A couple hundred feet away, her plaintive voice sounded faint. But a moment later her calls grew louder. She headed toward us.
“I looked at my watch again. The time read 3:02, and I’d already fucked up her feast’s start time. There would be hell to pay for sure….
“‘Jack,’ my mother whispered,’ we only have a moment longer. Hand me the box, please.’
“Trembling, I gave her the silver box and she turned it around so that the angels faced me.
“‘Open it gently,’ she instructed.
“I did. Inside the box lay a gray colored oval stone with a sword carved onto its face. The sword bisected a star and a circle, with smaller designs carved beneath them.
“‘Go ahead and pick it up,’ she urged.
“I did as she asked, and held the stone within my hands.
“‘What I’m about to tell you now is of the utmost importance, Jack,’ she said. ‘Keep the stone with you, and for God’s sake don’t lose it! On the left side of the main gates to the village as you leave this place, you’ll find a golden lion’s head protruding from the crystal wall. You must insert this stone into the lion’s mouth in order to get out of the village. You got that, son?’
“‘Yes ma’am,’ I said.
“The stone was light and carried some warmth with it. I placed it inside my other pocket to keep it separate from my watch.
“‘Jack?? Come out wherever you are!!’
“Less than forty feet away, Genovene sounded worried…and a little pissed. In panic I stood up, compelled to leave the booth. My mother grabbed my arm, urging me to stay put with her in the back room.
“‘Wait!!’ s
he whispered harshly. ‘Genovene isn’t what she seems! Nor the village and all of the wonders you’ve seen on the way here today…. Not in a permanent sense. They’re superimposed on your world, son. Again, there’s no time to explain. But I’ve brought something that’ll enable you to see her as she really is, to see what she truly looks like in her natural state.’
“Her hands shaking, Mom pulled out a small red satin bag with a leather strap from her dress. She opened the bag and poured out a gray colored dust on my head, which tingled as my scalp absorbed it.
“‘This mixture is made from the charred remains of Genovene’s victims,’ she said. ‘May it reveal the deception and the truth about her, for she is far crueler than you could ever imagine. I just pray you escape without experiencing her wickedness!’
“She began to weep, and I reached out to comfort her.
“‘What a poor way to treat someone who has taken the time to arrange a special dinner for you, Jack!!’ Genovene cried out. Her voice sounded different…deeper. And like she’d gargled a bucketful of sand. ‘As the guest of honor you‘re now way past rude!! Come out from there now-w-w!!!’
“Neither of us could see her from the back room, but I saw her shadow in the afternoon sun, stretching across the floor through the doorway to the front room. She had changed.
“In place of the gorgeous girl I’d spent much of the day with was this tall gangly thing. A slender spine-like tail whipped back and forth behind it. I started to scream. My mother covered my mouth and spun me around and dragged me over to the very back of the room. She then opened the small door and shoved me outside.
“‘Stay on the path, Jack!’ she pleaded. ‘Be very brave in spite of what you’ll see. No matter what happens, we’ll all be with you—remember that!!’
“‘Mom!!!’ I shouted, poking my head back through the doorway. ‘Why ain’t you following me out here? You’re coming with me, right?? Hurry!! Hey, come on, Mom!!! Get out here before it’s too—”
“‘No, Jack!!’ she shouted, interrupting me. ‘I can’t be released from this place unless you make it out of the village alive! Get out of here—run!!!